Houston Food Bank reaches out to serve more seniors

The Houston Food Bank is working to provide more assistance to senior citizens through increased distribution via its Senior Box Program.

The Houston Food Bank is working to provide more assistance to senior citizens through increased distribution via its Senior Box Program.

Photo: Houston Food Bank

Photo: Houston Food Bank

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The Houston Food Bank is working to provide more assistance to senior citizens through increased distribution via its Senior Box Program.

The Houston Food Bank is working to provide more assistance to senior citizens through increased distribution via its Senior Box Program.

Photo: Houston Food Bank

Houston Food Bank reaches out to serve more seniors

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The Houston Food Bank is dedicated to filling pantries in Greater Houston and the 18 Southeast Texas counties which it serves, from school children to families to senior citizens. The organization is currently working to provide more assistance to senior citizens through increased distribution via its Senior Box Program.

The Senior Box Program is designed to improve the health and nutrition of income-eligible seniors (age 60 and above). The program distributes Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) food from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) that is managed by the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA). An example of what seniors will find in the food boxes (valued at $50 retail) is non-perishable vegetables and fruit, hot or cold cereal, pasta, two-pound block of cheese, protein (e.g., non-perishable chicken, salmon, tuna chili, stew) and more.

In addition to distributing a monthly box of shelf-stable CSFP food, the Senior Box Program has expanded its outreach to include distribution of produce and other health-related items to seniors both inside and outside of Harris County.

Currently, just over 11,000 Harris County seniors each month benefit from this federally-funded effort.

TDA has asked Houston Food Bank to distribute 2,000 more boxes per month, and the food bank is working to find additional sites for distribution sites.

"Houston Food Bank is looking for sites such as multi-service centers, senior living facilities, churches and similar locations from which to distribute senior boxes," said Kathy Lipman, senior box manager for Houston Food Bank. "Distributions generally are scheduled once every month during a one to two-hour window. Since our staff handles all aspects of processing interested seniors and distributing the food, it is easy for an organization to host this important service to support the well-being of seniors in their community."

Sites are currently needed in the counties in which Houston Food Bank currently distributes – Harris, Montgomery, Galveston, Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend and Liberty. Preferred locations are those in areas where many seniors reside, that are wheelchair accessible for clients, and have ample parking for the food bank's truck as well as participants' vehicles.

Anyone with a location/space that would be available and appropriate to become a distribution site are asked to call Houston Food Bank's Senior Box Program offices at 832-369-9390.

For senior citizens age 60 and above interested in applying for the Senior Box Program, they may apply in person at a location near them. If an individual is unable to apply in person, they can send a representative with any ID with the applicant's date of birth and/or a birth certificate; proof of income within the year of application such as a Social Security award letter, employment check stub, bank statement (if check is automatically deposited), pension statement, income tax form, and/or letter of other financial support. A list of sites and hours can be found at www.houstonfoodbank.org/seniorbox, or information can be provided by calling 832-369-9390.